Towers of London

Blood Sweat & Towers

TVT

Spawned from the influences of Guns ‘n’ Roses and the Sex Pistols, Towers of London were born to unite two musical genres that have butted heads since the ’70s. Metal and Punk Rock go together like milk and beer yet somehow bands like this British gaggle of brats are chugging it down and vomiting up something worth a listen.

They’ve got the arrogance of Oasis, the swagger of the New York Dolls, and the looks of Spinal Tap. They seem like a joke, and yet the music can’t be dismissed so easily. Even after quoting full verses of Vanilla Ice’s “Ice Ice Baby” in the song “Air Guitar,” I can’t help but find the music not irritating but amusing.

Easily the strongest bit of songwriting on this admirable debut is “Fuck It Up,” a song that is featured twice. The first time we hear the tune it’s folky and sung in an almost Leonard Cohen tone, later it’s plugged in and spat out with the sneer. The acoustic version packs a more powerful punch with its heartfelt explanations of self-doubt and frustration, “Woooooaaaaah I think you’re special… but then I go and Fuck it up, Fuck it up, Fuck it up!”

The US version of the disc includes two bonus songs, “I Lose It” and “Son of a Preacher,” and videos for “Air Guitar” and the acoustic rendition of “Fuck It Up.” It’s the visuals that puts this band into proper context. Observe how highly they think of themselves, and just try to resist them.